'Rebecca' sets Broadway opening date in 'Streetcar' theater

Out goes Stella and in goes Rebecca, the new musical based on the Daphne du Maurier novel and Oscar-winning Alfred Hitchcock film. The production, which tells the story of an English country estate haunted by an aristocrat’s dead wife, has set its opening night on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre–the current home of the limited run of A Streetcar Named Desire–on November 18, 2012.

Another version of the show had its world premiere in 2006 in Vienna (and played for more than three years), but the revised musical has finally slated a Broadway debut, after postponing its opening earlier this season. The producers cited financial difficulties, which seems an obvious struggle considering the lack of major name stars attached to the production.

The new Rebecca will feature an English book adaptation by Christopher Hampton (Sunset Boulevard) and English lyrics by Hampton and Michael Kunze, who penned the German-language book and lyrics (with music by Sylvester Levay). Tony Award winner Michael Blakemore and Francesca Zambello are set to direct a cast that includes Karen Mason, Howard McGillin and James Barbour. The show’s two leading roles have not yet been cast.

Although Rebecca has no current scheduling conflict with the currently-running Streetcar, the Tennessee Williams revival could potentially close early (it’s selling advance tickets through Sunday, July 22) after receiving only one Tony nomination (for costumes) and grossing only approximately 32% of its potential box office intake each week.